Lily-girl
by BBSweetie
Summary: Lily Taylor is a human. But, she has control over all of the elements. She promises to protect her family fiercely, and will never let anyone hurt them. But, when a terrible thing happens, Lily and her siblings only have one goal. To get to the mysterious St. Vladimir's Academy and find a man known to them as Dimka. Can Lily honor that promise she made so long ago?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey party people! So, this idea has been really bothering me for a super long time and I just had to get it out there. This is a VERY LONG chapter. It's 10 pages on my computer! I'm not sure how long I'll be able to update because I am currently working on THREE other stories! I know, I'm such a busybee haha. Anyway, I hope you like it and I can't wait to see your reviews!**

Chapter 1

It had been just like any other day. I had been practicing my magic with my sister while my brother played next to us with his toy cars. My sister and I were the only two that had developed powers so far, but grandfather said that Sam was close behind. Right now he was already stronger than other boys at his age, and that was enough to settle our fears. I was two and a half years apart from my sister, Sage, and six years apart from Sam. We were humans. But somehow we had magic. Grandfather told us that our family had always had magic, but it skipped a generation, so our mother didn't have it. He was the only one there who was able to help us, until he had died a few short years ago. Sage and I had taken it upon ourselves then to learn about the other part of the human world, and to master our powers. We each had control over all of the elements, excluding Spirit, since it was so new.

"Lily-girl, come downstairs please!" Mom called from downstairs, using my nickname. I stopped Sage's fire attack with a water spirit and gave her a teasing look. She had never been able to beat me. I ruffled Sam's hair, much to his dismay, and walked down the stairs to where I heard my mother's voice.

"Lily, there's something important I need to tell you." My mother said, reaching forward to grasp my hands in hers.

"Mother, what is it?" I asked, picking up on her frantic tone. My mother was hardly ever afraid.

"Someday, evil things are going to come for me, and you are going to have to protect your brother and sister from everything. Everything that your grandfather has told you." She said, and I gulped.

"Mother, what evil things? Magic things? Strigoi? Are Strigoi coming for you?" I asked her incredulously. Grandfather had told us once of evil immortal vampires that stalked the night and fed on the blood of the innocent.

"Yes, my darling, Strigoi are coming for me. I do not know when, but I know that it is soon, and I need you to be the big girl now. Do you understand?" Mother said, and I nodded slowly. I would protect Sage and Sam from everything. I would never let them out of my sight.

That night, exactly four years in the future, when I was seventeen and Sage was fifteen, the Strigoi came for my mother. They wreaked havoc on our home, throwing around everything in sight, searching for her. Blood splashed the walls, as my siblings and I huddled in the corner of the living room, watching everything unfold. My sister and brother leaned into me, crying as we watched our mother be torn to shreds. But, I did not shed a single tear, for I knew this was coming. Sam had predicted it so. Instead of the nature's elements, Sam had at last been the first in the Taylor family to develop Spirit. He couldn't heal, but he could see aura's, and he also got premonitions. He had received this one this morning, and had warned our mother.

_"Mother, something's coming! It's coming!" He shrieked as the premonition rocked him, and I pulled him into my arms. When he quite his shaking, I looked my mother dead in the eye._

_ "Lily-girl, do you remember what I told you, those many years ago?" She whispered and I nodded numbly. It was time. The Strigoi were coming._

She hadn't listened to me when I told her to run, saying that they would come to the house anyway. She knew it was her time. So, she had instead helped us pack our bags to run. Three backpacks, and a contact information slip, of a school for Moroi and Dhampirs, just outside of Helena, Montana.

_"Lily-girl, take these. They have clothes to last you for a few days. A bank account has been set up for you with enough money to last all of you more than a lifetime, each. Inside is also contact information for a Moroi/Dhampir school by the name of 's. They do not know of humans with such gifts, and they will not accept you without proof. Do you remember the man that stayed with us briefly after your father's passing?" I nodded remembering the freakishly tall cowboy very well. I had been told to call him Dimka, a Russian nickname I knew well. "He works there as a guardian and as you know he is well aware of your gifts. He will support your enrollment there, but be wary. There are dangers that you have yet to face, Lily-girl." She had warned and kissed the top of my forehead._

The Strigoi were tearing our mother bit by bit. Drinking from each vital artery she possessed, and throwing that limb away. She was indistinguishable now. The Strigoi finished and turned towards us, and I stiffened. My mother's blood was dripping from their mouths and they smiled thinly with blood-covered teeth. Their eyes were red and gleaming.

"Puny humans, you are no match for us." The one hissed and I glared, tightening my hold on my brother and sister.

I was angry. How dare he come into our home, and kill our mother? How dare he stand there smiling, with my mother's blood on his teeth? How _dare _he call us puny and weak? I felt the rise of power in me and did not control it like I normally did. I felt it rise out of my body, a combination of the elements stronger than possible. Earth mixed with water, and water bled into air, and air wrapped with fire. It was an unrecognizable force filled with one goal.

I flung the power forward with a battle cry and leaped up, forcing Sage and Sam to move behind me. The force hit him and sent him flying backward, severely weakening him and putting him down for the count, but not killing him. The other Strigoi hissed at me and fled the premises at inhuman speed. I walked over to the Strigoi that had killed my mother and kneeled next to him. Putting my flaming hand on his chest where his falsely beating heart was held. He growled in pain and stared into my eyes, hatred filling both his and my gazes.

"Stupid bitch, they'll find you. They'll come after you. And they will kill you." He said and made the flames more powerful, pushing past my waning strength and tired body.

"Who's they?" I snarled and he smiled. In a move that I should have predicted, he flipped up and sent me flying into the wall. I felt dizziness overwhelm me, but I pushed through it. Not Sage, not Sam. Neither of them would be taken tonight. I got up and pounced on the Strigoi's back, forcing my teeth into his shoulder. He snarled and flipped my over, but this time I landed on my feet. Calling forth my magic again, I burned him where he stood, and then doused the flames with water. Using my earth magic, I opened up the floor and watched him fall deep into hell.

"Lily." Sam cried from behind me, and I rushed over to them. Sam had stopped crying, but a steady stream of tears still flowed down Sage's cheeks.

"C'mon, guys, we have to go, there could be more coming." I said. Their eyes widened and they stood up with me.

"Grab your backpacks and let's move." They nodded and we rushed out the front door, running deep into the forest that surrounded our secluded home. The trees whipped by us as we ran. My long, flowing, black hair weaving behind me. I was as pale as a Moroi, only I didn't have the aversion to the sun as they did. Moroi were the opposite kind of vampire from a Strigoi. They could still be in the sun, but it was uncomfortable. They could use magic like mine, but they only had control over one element. If we wanted to, Sage, Sam, and I could pass for Moroi with a charm, but that was too much risk to Sam's health. Since he did have Spirit, he risked the same as a Moroi with the element. He had specialized much earlier than a Moroi would, so it was double the risk because his brain wasn't near developed yet. At eleven years old, he was pushing 5', with short black hair and piercing green eyes. With Sage, if not for the difference in height, we could be considered twins.

When we had been on the move for just under eight hours, we decided to stop in the small town of Rosebud, Idaho, just outside the Montana border. The academy was a few days travel into Montana by foot, but I knew that Sam and Sage wouldn't be able to keep up with the walking, so at some point we would have to resort to public transportation.

"Lily, I'm c—cold." Sam said in between chattering teeth as we checked into a motel room.

"Here, take my blanket." I said, putting it on the bed that he and Sage were sharing. There was only one queen sized bed in the room, with a tiny bathroom and an even tinier window. I was going to be keeping watch all night, and I didn't need the blanket. They took it gratefully and buried themselves in the bedclothes, quickly falling asleep in spite of the horrific events that they had witnessed. Sitting in a chair close to the door, with a dagger in my lap, I leaned my head back and painfully recalled the day I had been forced into this world.

_"Lily-girl, do you know of the others?" Grandfather asked me when I was eight years old. _

_ "The others, grandfather? What kind of others?" I asked, hopping onto his wheelchair with the glee of hearing another story._

_ "The others that live in our world. The vampires." Grandfather said. I looked at him quizzically._

_ "Vampires? We don't have vampires, grandfather." I giggled and he smiled, though in his eyes I recognized something more deep._

_ "Why, of course we do. But they are not the vampires that you have heard of in stories told on Halloween, my dear. There are many types of vampires." He said and I jumped up and down on his lap._

_ "Ooh, do they have magical powers like me?" I exclaimed and he smiled adoringly._

_ "Yes, they do. But they aren't as powerful as you are, Lily-girl. Some of them are weak. They can't stay in the sun for too long, or else they get sick. And they only have one power." Grandfather said. "But those are the good vampires. There are also evil vampires. The evil ones can't go in the sun at all, and they don't have magic. The evil ones are much more dangerous than the good ones. Do you know what their called?" He asked and I shook my head, my already long black hair waving around my shoulders._

_ "The good ones are called Moroi. They're nice to humans like us, and they don't hurt us. But the evil ones are called Strigoi, and they hurt humans very badly." He said and I frowned._

_ "Do they make us die? Like daddy did?" I asked. My father was already dead then, and had been for about a year._

_ "Yes, they make us die. But there are people out there that protect us and the Moroi." He said and I smiled excitedly._

_ "Do they have magic too?"  
"No, but they can fight really well with their body. They are half Moroi and half human, so they look a lot like you and me." Grandfather said, and I pictured one of these half people with one side of their face super pale, and the other side really tan. It scared me and I shuddered._

_ "They aren't scary, Lily-girl," Grandfather said, chuckling. "They are called dhampirs."_

_ "Dham—dham—dhampirs?" I stammered over the weird and finally got it. Grandfather smiled and nodded, before coughs wracked his body, making him shake._

_ "Dad, let's get you to bed. You've had too much to do today." My mother ran in and took me off of Grandfather's lap and wheeled him in to another room. I watched with sad, round eyes as that was the last time I would see my beloved Grandfather alive._

I wiped away a stray tear at the memory and glanced around the room, ashamed that I had been distracted for so long. Sage and Sam were sleeping peacefully, and nothing in the room was disturbed. Tomorrow, we would move on to another setting.

*******LG*******

The next few days found us riding various buses and trains, living on limited materials and always keeping a watch out for suspicious characters. Sage stayed close to me, and Sam as well. They apparently thought of me as the leader. We had just entered the big capitol of Helena, Montana, when I saw it. A dancing shadow, everywhere we went. A Strigoi had found us.

"Sage, keep Sam close, and follow me closely." I said and she nodded, widening her eyes in fear. Sage was a strong girl, but what she had seen those few days ago had scarred her, and until I told her to get out, she was stuck in a scared little shell with no return.

We strolled down the sidewalk, casting no suspicions. It was about thirty minutes till dawn and the sky already looked pink. It was unusual for a Strigoi to be out this late, which furthered my theory that he was desperate, and he was following us in particular.

When no others were around, we ducked into an alley and I shoved my siblings beside a dumpster and braced for the attack, dagger in hand. Exactly as I had predicted, the Strigoi turned into the alley as well, but he hadn't expected me to be ready for him.

"Well. Maybe this will be fun after all." The Strigoi sneered. He leaped and I dodged, scraping his abdomen with my dagger. Sam had charmed it with Spirit, so it would hurt. A lot.

The beast growled and landed uncomfortably on his stomach, where I raced and flipped him over, the dagger to his heart.

"Why are you following us?" I snarled and the Strigoi sneered again. I pushed the point of the dagger into his chest and his face grimaced in pain.

"I was told to follow three children with black hair." He gasped and I pressed the pointin harder.

"Told by who?" I asked and the thing squirmed, trying to get away but to no avail.

"I don't know, I swear! It was just a message that someone sent me. Anonymously! But there was a big reward for whoever could find you." I wasn't at all satisfied, but I was done hearing this beast whine. I signaled Sage, who with a snap of her fingers burned the Strigoi to ashes. I could have stabbed him, but I wanted this guy to burn, and I wanted Sage to get out of her rut and save themselves.

"There might be more on the way. We've got to keep moving. It's only another day's walk. But if we can find a bus we can get there in six hours." I said and they nodded gratefully. I still hadn't thought of what to do once we got to the academy, but I did know that I had to find Dimka. We had barely kept in touch over the many, many, years, and he had even come to stay with us when I had turned fifteen for a brief time as he was passing from Russia back to Montana.

"Can we find a bus, Lily? I'm tired of walking." Sam said and I nodded. Sam tried to act like an adult around his friends, but around us he would always be the baby brother, even if he was twelve and not two.

"Yes, there's a stop right up there heading to Missoula. We can find another ride there." I said. We got on the bus with a wary glance from the driver. We were dirty and smelled like the dumpster we had just been near, and we probably looked like trouble. But we had money and that's what mattered to the woman.

When we reached Missoula four hours later, I had to struggle to wake Sam up. Sage had stayed awake through the entire ride along with me, and we had joked and laughed like we had done before. Sage was finally recovering, but all of us would have that night looming over us for the rest of our lives. Sam moved along sleepily, hanging on to my shirt as if for dear life. There were no bus stops that would head right to the academy, unfortunately. But I had known that there wouldn't be. The academies were set up to protect Moroi and dhampirs from Strigoi and to keep them offset from humans. No human bus stop would take us there, because they didn't know that it even existed.

"Guys, it looks like we're going to have to walk more. It'll take about three hours." I said, and I looked at the horizon. That Strigoi had taken a risk approaching us so close to dawn, but luckily for us that meant that it wasn't even noon yet. Sam groaned, but Sage nodded. She would do what she had to do to stay safe.

We began our long trek north, and soon the popular city of Missoula was nowhere in sight. Trees surrounded us, highlighted by the glow of the sun. It was early autumn, so the leaves were already beginning to change. But, luckily, it wasn't cold yet. Northern winters were a real bitch.

Looking at the position of the sun, we had been walking for about an hour, and I told them that we could take a break. Sam plopped down right away and sat with heavy breathing. He wasn't that athletic. Sage gingerly sat down on a pile of leaves and looked around warily. I passed around some water I had bought in Missoula and then we were on the move again.

It came as a surprise even to me. The Strigoi jumped out of nowhere and pulled Sage to him tightly, causing her to scream. I whirled around and shoved Sam out of the way. I had my dagger in one hand, and a fireball in the other. I loved all of my elements, but fire was the most useful against a Strigoi.

"Let her go," I snarled and the Strigoi sneered, putting his face in Sage's long hair and taking a long whiff.

"Mmm, she smells nice…it's going to be a treat to taste her." He said and Sage let out a sob, tears streaming freely down her face. She was probably too terrified to even remember that she could use magic.

"I'm not saying it again. Let her go." I said and he smiled thinly.

"No way." He said and put his mouth to her neck. I let out a battle cry and charged forward. To my foolishness, the Strigoi had been expecting this and he tossed Sage aside easily. When I reached him, he took my own dagger and flipped it, plunging it deep into my own abdomen. I let out a gasp as the knife pierced me. Immediately I felt pain, and the Strigoi smiled. I should have been more prepared. I should have known.

"No!" Sage shrieked from behind me, and the Strigoi burst into flames right in front of me. The ashes fell away and I collapsed to the ground. I yanked the dagger out of my body just as Sage ran to me.

"Lily, Lily, are you okay? Talk to me, Lily." Sage said frantically and I nodded. The wound hurt a lot, and I pressed my hand to it to try and deter the bleeding.

"I'm okay. We need to keep moving." I said breathlessly and tried to stand.

"Are you kidding? You can barely stand! You've just been _stabbed_, Lily." Sage said incredulously, as if the burning pain in my stomach hadn't alerted me to the injury.

"I'm aware. But if we stay here any longer, more Strigoi could come. We need to move. Now." I said and Sage bit her lip before pulling me up and slinging one of my arms around her shoulder. We moved steadily and Sam walked beside us silently. He hasn't said a word.

"Sammy, are you all right?" I asked him and he shook his head with tear filled eyes.

"You're hurt, Lily. And mom's gone. And we don't know where the hell we're gonna end up in the next few hours. You almost died. You could still die! Just like mom." Sam said and I took my hand away from the stab wound to squeeze his shoulder weakly. I was losing blood fast, and there really was a possibility that I might die.

"It's going to be fine, Sammy, you'll see." I said, trying to keep the weakness from sounding in my voice. Sage was the only thing holding me up right now. And the promise I made to my mother was the only thing keeping me alive right now. I would never let my siblings be alone.

Sam nodded and I returned my hand to its position. It really wasn't doing much to stop the bleeding, but it was something.

It seemed like days had passed instead of hours when the academy actually came in to view. By this time, I was seeing darkness and stumbling on every step. My abdomen hurt like a bitch and it was a wonder I hadn't keeled over by now.

The academy was large and sprawling, with a very gothic edge to it. It was dark and ominous from this view. On the ground, we saw thin rainbow lines straight across the ground, and I recalled something my grandfather had told me.

_"Grandfather, you've said that academies are huge places, right? How do the guardians protect everyone?" I asked him._

_ "There are these magical things, called wards. They mark the perimeter of the school's grounds and are made from all of the elements."_

These must be the wards. That meant that we were on the edge of the school's property. Suddenly, and it could have just been my delusional state of mind from the blood loss, but we heard voices.

"What are we doing way out here?" A voice sounded from the trees. Sage stiffened beside me, so I knew I hadn't imagined them.

"Hurry, we can hide behind those rocks over there." I whispered and she nodded. We stumbled over to them and hid. Sam quivered beside Sage, and I worked to move past the pain of my wound into a clever state of mind. They were going to find us. There was no avoiding it.

"Rose, you have to learn to be patient in life. And, it's my shift to patrol the wards, so I figured you could come with me as a training lesson." A man's voice said, and I detected a low chuckle underneath his words.

"But it's too goddamn early." The girl, Rose, complained. Early? I refrained from smacking my head. I had thought that we would be safe during the day because the academy students would be in school. But then I remembered that academies ran on night schedules to better accommodate the Moroi students.

"Wait, is that blood?" Rose exclaimed and I heard the footsteps stop. Dammit, dammit, dammit! We were leaving a trail of blood right to us!

The footsteps were getting closer, and I grimaced, half in pain, half in anticipation. We weren't supposed to be discovered like this. This was going all wrong.

I saw the boots before I heard them. Suddenly, they were standing right in front of us. Despite my injured state, I shifted into a defensive stance on the ground, shielding Sage and Sam from view, while keeping my injury hidden by my hand.

"Lily, is that you?" The voice said and I looked up. Standing high above us was Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Better known to me as Dimka.

**Ooooh cliffhanger! Haha, what did you think? What's Dimitri's reaction going to be? How will Rose and the gang act with these newcomer's? Will the idea of humans with magic be accepted? Keep reading this story to find out! Don't forget to review!**

**Who's your favorite VA character?**

**~Lily-girl~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey you awesome people! Or at least person because I've only gotten 1 review... so I really hope you guys are reading this! I wouldn't know!**

**In case you hadn't picked up on it, that was my non-direct plea to please please pleaseeeee give me some reviews. It would really help me out to know what you guys thought.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, LexieBelikova! Thank you so much for reviewing!**

Chapter 2

_I saw the boots before I heard them. Suddenly, they were standing right in front of us. Despite my injured state, I shifted into a defensive stance on the ground, shielding Sage and Sam from view, while keeping my injury hidden by my hand._

_ "Lily, is that you?" The voice said and I looked up. Standing high above us was Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Better known to me as Dimka._

He was about 6'3" with chin-length brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail. He was looking down on us with a frown.

"Hey, Dimka." I said, smiling weakly. The stab wound was really hurting me, and I couldn't really see his face because of the black dots on my vision.

"Please, Dimka. We need to get Lily to a doctor or something. She's hurt badly." Sage cut in and I frowned at her. He wasn't supposed to know that yet. Dimka reacted instantly and leaned down, lifting me up to my feet with a pull, and I stumbled, and my hand fell from the wound. It was very clearly visible and I'm sure it didn't look good.

"Rose, hurry. Go run and get Dr. Ozlendski. Tell her it's an emergency and I'm bringing someone in." She nodded after a little hesitation and ran in the direction of the academy. I felt myself being lifted into someone's arms. I rested my head against Dimka's shoulder as the dots started to close in.

"Lily, Lily, wake up! Lily, please wake up!" Sam shouted from the side as he and Sage ran along with Dimka. I opened my eyes barely and looked at their worried faces.

"We made it this far guys…I'm not going to leave you…I promised mom…" I murmured and Dimka jostled my head with his shoulder, keeping me awake.

"Lily, where is your mother?" He asked and I felt that first tear escape from my half-closed eyes.

"Gone…" I whispered and then suddenly I wasn't in Dimka's arms, I was on a hospital bed, and I was being wheeled somewhere.

"Large stab wound, possible internal injuries. She needs surgery." I heard an unfamiliar voice say.

"Sage…Sam…" I murmured and a hand was on my arm.

"They're right here, Lil, I won't let anything happen to them." A low Russian voice said and I smiled, before falling down the point of no return.

*****LG*****

I felt the lights on my eyelids before I saw them. When I opened my eyes I had to squint against the harsh light. I looked down at my stomach, but it almost looked like it wasn't there. It was so heavily bandaged that I looked like I had gained ten pounds.

"Good, you're awake." A Russian accent said and I turned to my left to see Dimka sitting there with a book in his hands.

"Hey, Dimka. Long time no see, eh?" I joked and he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Lily, what are you doing here?" Dimka asked and I sighed. I started to launch into the whole tale and leaked a few tears when I talked about mother, but at least I didn't all out sob. He listened intently and didn't change his expression throughout the whole story. When I finished, I held my breath and waited for his reaction. He pursed his lips and leaned back in his chair before answering.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Lily. Anna was a dear friend of mine, and she will be missed." He said and I nodded and smiled. "But, I don't know how we can convince Kirova to let you and your siblings stay here. You are human, after all." He said.

"But, what about our magic? Will that sway her?"

"Only with proof. But, still. The thought of humans at this school will send an uproar throughout the community. They might want to do some experiments." He said carefully.

"Let them. I need to keep Sage and Sam safe…Sage and Sam. Where are Sage and Sam?" I whipped my head around frantically.

"Calm down, Lily. They're right outside. I'll bring them in to see you." Dimka said and got up. He motioned out of the door and suddenly my siblings were right beside me.

"Lily!" Sage said, hugging me tightly. I winced in pain and she drew back. Sam put his hand on my stomach and creased his eyebrows. It took me a second to realize that he was trying to heal, but it wasn't working. I pulled Sam's hands away and gazed into his green eyes.

"It's okay, Sammy. I'll heal fine on my own." I said and his eyes got sad and he squeezed my hand. I glanced back and noticed that Dimka was standing off to the side. I hoped he could read this question in my eyes. He pursed his lips and nodded tightly, before silently exciting the room.

"Oh, Lily, I'm so sorry!" Sage said through tears and I stared at her as if she had grown three heads.

"What on earth are you sorry for?"

"Because! If I had used my magic sooner, you wouldn't be hurt." She said and I refrained from slapping her upside the head.

"Sage Melanie Taylor! Don't you ever say that again! What happened to me was nowhere near your fault. I should have known that he would try something like that, and I wasn't prepared. _I _wasn't. It was not your fault." I said and she nodded after a moment's hesitation. Suddenly the door opened to reveal Dimka and two other middle-aged women.

"Lily, this is Dr. Ozlendski and Headmistress Kirova." Dimka introduced and I slowly sat up in my bed. Dr. Ozlendski moved to my side and checked the machines.

"How you feel?" She asked and I assessed myself. I didn't really feel anything abnormal.

"Good. I don't feel anything, actually." I said and she chuckled.

"That's the drugs. Odds are you'll feel much worse tomorrow." She said and I grimaced. I hated feeling weak.

"Miss Taylor," Kirova, the other middle aged woman said after clearing her throat, "would like to tell me how you three, humans, ended up on academy grounds?" She said, disbelief and suspicion very clear in her voice. Something told me she didn't like newcomers.

So, I repeated the story again, and Kirova's eyes narrowed every time I mentioned our magic.

"Alright, enough of this magic talk. Humans don't have magic. And they should not know about Strigoi, let alone Moroi and dhampirs." She scoffed and I looked at my sister. She nodded and we proceeded to go through our routine of practice. I shot fire at her, she doused it with water, which I deflected with a small rock wall, which she blew away with air. When we looked back, Kirova's eyes were in the shape of saucers and Dimka had a small smile on his face.

"Well, I—but that's—humans aren't meant to have any magic. Especially not more than a Moroi." She breathed and then she shook her head as if to clear it.

"Regardless of your…gifts…we simply cannot enroll humans into this academy. The queen will throw a fit!" Kirova exclaimed.

"Then talk to her. I'm sure she'll be just as intrigued as you are about how a human could have magic." Dimka reasoned and Kirova looked at him.

"Why are you defending them? Do you know something. Belikov?" Kirova narrowed her but Dimka returned her gaze evenly.

"I have known the Taylor family since I was a teenager. I was good friends with their mother and I have kept in touch with them throughout the years. I have seen their magic on a much larger scale, and I'm telling you, it is a good thing to enroll them here. And their mother is the one who wanted to enroll them here." Dimka said and Kirova turned away and started to pace.

"What do we do about the other students? They're going to wonder about humans as well." Kirova said, almost to herself.

"So let them wonder. They're humans with magic. It's not unheard of." Dimka said and I frowned of that. I guess it was possible for some of our ancestors work to be written down somewhere and told as a story. Not likely, but possible.

"Well, what do I tell the queen?" Kirova asked.

"Tell her that you've discovered something that will blow her mind. I'm sure she'll want to see proof, and then the academy will be treated with double the respect it already has." Dimka said and Kirova's eyes lightened at the words _you discovered_. She was probably thinking of ways to steal all of the credit. Finally she sighed and turned to us.

"Alright. You all may stay." She said and we all looked at each other and smiled in glee. We were fulfilling our mother's wish!

"But, on one condition. As you all are so unique, you will have to undergo tests before dinner every week with Ms. Carmack, or magic teacher." She said and we nodded. It didn't seem like too much of a hardship. "In place of your morning classes, you all will take senior level specializing classes. Except, young man… what is your element? I believe you failed to show us an example." Kirova said, frowning and Sam gulped. He couldn't give an example.

"Sam can't give an example, ma'am. He only has one element. Spirit." I said and Kirova's eyes widened.

"A spirit user? At such a young age? A human?" Kirova gasped and Sam shrunk against Sage. "Well, can you heal?" Kirova asked and Sam shook his head before finally piping up.

"I can see aura's, and I get premonitions sometimes." He said quietly and even Dimka's eyes widened at that one.

"You mean you can see the future?" Kirova asked. Sam nodded and she went back to pacing again.

"Well, you're far too young to take part in a basic's class. Although, we could have you study with the princess…" Kirova trailed off and looked at Dimka.

"It couldn't hurt. And we've never heard of spirit user's being able to see the future. He can study with the princess when she has her basic's class." He said and I began to wonder. Who was this princess? I remembered grandfather telling me once of twelve royal families that ruled under the queen, but was one so young as to still be in high school?

"Alright. Both of you. Miss Taylor and Miss Taylor, will share a room in the Moroi dorms. Mr. Taylor, you will have your own room on elementary campus. You can train with the princess on spirit once a day during one of your classes. You will meet in the library."

"Wait. Elementary campus? No. Sam can't be separated from us." I said fiercely and Kirova glared at me through her tiny glasses.

"Miss Taylor, he is twelve years old. He cannot be put on the high school campus with you and your sister. That is something that I will not budge on." She said firmly and I looked at Sam. He had a frightened look on his face. How could I keep my promise to mother when Sam was on another campus?

"But—but—but—" Sam stammered.

"No buts. You are simply too young." Kirova said, a little more gently this time. Sam bit his lip and nodded.

"Although, I can allow visiting hours for your sisters to go to your campus after dinner. As long as their back by curfew." She said and all nodded frantically. Sage hugged Sam and I smiled down at him. I could go a few hours every day not knowing…right?

"Alright, it's time to go. I'm sure everyone is tired from the journey you've told me about, hmmm?" She said, no longer the bitter old lady. Now she was a kind woman. Almost like a grandmother. In answer, Sam yawned loudly and Dimka cracked a smile. The last time he had visited us, Sam had been only a few months old. He was probably a completely new person to Dimka.

"But what about Lily?" Sage asked and Kirova frowned.

"If we get the princess down here, she'll be able to leave with her siblings." Dr. Ozlendski said, speaking for the first time.

"I suppose it is a unique circumstance…Belikov? Will you get the princess, please?" She asked and Dimka nodded before silently leaving again. Kirova left as well, saying something about the queen. Dr. Ozlendski stayed until Dimka came back, with a tall Moroi with platinum blonde hair. Trailing behind was Rose, the girl from this morning. Getting a closer look at her, she was a dhampir, like Dimka.

"They're human?" The Moroi gasped and Dimka nodded solemnly. "But, how…?" She trailed off.

"It's a lot to explain. The main point is that she needs to be healed." Dimka said and the Moroi's face grew solemn.

"Right." She said and walked towards me. Rose and Dimka moved off to the side, whispering quietly. "Hello." The Moroi said when she reached me and I smiled slowly.

"I promise this won't hurt a bit. My name is Vasilisa Dragomir." She said and my eyes widened. Dragomir was royal name, which meant that this was the princess that they were talking about. She smiled and put her hands on my stomach where the bandage was. She closed her eyes. I looked at Sam, who was concentrating on her thoughtfully. Probably trying to decipher how to heal. Suddenly, I gasped as a warm feeling filled my entire body. It was as if I was being lifted on clouds.

And then it was over. I looked at the princess who was smiling at me. Hesitantly, I unwrapped my bandage to reveal smooth, pink, flesh. It was as if I had never been injured in the first place. I looked up at her with wide eyes and she smiled bigger.

"All better?" She asked and I nodded. Sage and Sam were staring at her like she was a goddess. She might as well have been. With her blonde hair and slim Moroi build, I was actually a little surprised that I didn't see a halo hovering over her head.

"Great! What are your names?" She asked.

"Um…I'm Lily, this is Sage, and that's Sam." I said and they both nodded when I introduced them. Sam was still staring at her with awe.

"Liss, we should probably get back. Christian is going to be wondering where you are," Rose said and the princess frowned.

"Aw, alright. Well, it was nice meeting you Lily, Sage, and Sam. I'm glad I could help." She smiled and we smiled in return. When she left, I stared down at my stomach stupidly, half expecting my injury to just pop up again.

"She healed it, don't worry." Dimka said, chuckling. He was smiling at me and I smiled back. I had missed this freakishly tall cowboy.

"Well, then let's get outta here. I hate doctor's offices." I said with a grimace and I hopped out of bed. I was totally fine! But, I realized I was lacking in the shirt department. I still wore my dirty jeans, but the only thing acting as a cover up were bandages placed around my breasts that had held my stomach bandages in place. I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks and Sage stifled a laugh before wordlessly handing me my bloody tank top. I had nothing else.

"We'll be able to get you some new clothes soon." Dimka said, looking equally as embarrassed. He had known me since I was practically a baby, so it wasn't that bad, but he was still a gentleman. He led the way out of the doctor's office. We were insanely lucky that the Moroi and dhampirs were in class right now, or else we might be bombarded or something like that. Not fun times, in my opinion.

Dimka led us out of the school into the chilly night air and to the left towards a large building set off to the side from the school. It was taller than the school, and seemed to have rooms upon rooms upon rooms just everywhere. Two large glass doors led into a small lounge area with tables set off to the side and a few couches. A receptionist's desk sat against a wall where the dorm matron sit there flipping through a magazine.

"This is the Moroi dorm, where you guys—Sage and Lily—will be staying. Your room is on the second floor left side, where the rest of the girls are. You both will share a room." Dimka said as he led us up the stairs. When we came to a room that sad 2B he unlocked it with a little key and led us inside.

It wasn't big, by any standards, but it wasn't small either. A twin bed sat on each side of the room and two bulletin boards hung above each bed. A small bathroom was set off the side and a large window was the only thing that let natural light into the room. The beds were bare; plain white sheets and a pillow with a simple slip acting as a case. It looked more like a hospital ward's room than a bedroom.

Sage immediately went to the side of the room by the window and put her back pack on the bed. I smiled and jokingly shook my head as I put down my backpack—the parts of it that hadn't been torn to shreds, anyway—on the other bed.

Dimka stood and waited and Sam walked up to me and hugged me with tear filled eyes.

"I want to stay with you guys, Lily." He whimpered and I hugged him tightly.

"I know, buddy. But we're very lucky for them to be letting us go to school here. We have to follow their rules." I said painstakingly. I wanted him near, more than anything. I had promised my mother to always keep them with me and close to me, never letting them go. Now, my baby brother was living on the other side of a large campus all by himself.

Sam nodded sadly and hugged my tighter.

"Should we go see your room now?" I asked and he hesitated before nodding. Dimka nodded as well and turned to leave. We followed him, with Sam clinging to my shirt very much as he had on the way here.

We were led around different buildings and places. I was only able to briefly remember how to get here but I knew it was a lost cause. I just hope I could get here every night in the dark without getting completely lost to wish Sam goodnight. We reached a very much smaller building after a while and walked inside. A few stray children danced around while guardians entertained them.

"Sam, this is the elementary Moroi dorm. You'll be staying on the second floor in the same room as your sisters, just in a different building." He said, unlocking another door that read 2B.

"You see, Sammy? It'll be like we're in the same place." Sage said comfortingly and Sam nodded softly. When we got inside, it was the same setup as our room, except there was only one bed. Sam had always had his own room—being the only boy—so this wasn't anything new to him. Sleeping in the day would probably be the hardest part to adjust to.

"You're gonna come here every night, right?" Sam asked, his eyes glistening with tears. Even before that night, he'd always hated being alone. Now, that feeling was probably multiplied twenty times.

"Of course! And if you ever need us, you just tell a guardian or your teacher, and we'll come right over, o.k.?" I told him, looking at Dimka for confirmation. He nodded and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I didn't want to leave Sam alone no more than he wanted to be left alone. It was like I was breaking my mom's dying wish.

"Sam, I'm going to bring you to your classroom now. You're teacher is Ms. Mary." Dimka said kindly, and motioned to the door.

"C;mon, buddy," Sage said, and Sam moved to her side while I went to his other one and put my hand on his head.

Dimka led us back down the stairs and outside of the dorm, back towards a slightly smaller building.

We were let past a few guardians who gave us odd looks. Probably because they hadn't heard about our arrival yet. According to Sage, I had been out for three hours after the surgery, which meant that we had only been here for just under five hours, including the time it took us to get to the edge of the school grounds. It was just approaching ten o-clock p.m. in the human world, so the students had been in school for only an hour today so far.

We arrived in front of a classroom that looked to have about fifteen kids in it, and a teacher was at the front writing cursive letters on the board. It seemed pretty normal…so far.

Dimka cleared his throat and the teacher—Ms. Mary—looked up from the board. She was a tall, slim, Moroi. She had light brown hair put up in a bun and kind blue eyes. She was wearing a purple skirt suit with way too much red lipstick on her face. Other than that, she seemed nice.

"Ah, Guardian Belikov! Have you brought our new student?" She said brightly, and every single child in that room craned their necks around to stare into Sam's face. Instead of leaning further into Sage—like I expected him to do—he straightened up and looked at his classmates with as much of a serious face as an eight year old could have.

"Yes. This is Sam Taylor." He said and pushed Sam slightly forward. Ms. Mary walked forward in her four inch purple heels and leaned down so she was level with him.

"Well, Sam, my name is Ms. Mary. We're just about to start our cursive lesson? Did you start that at your old school?" She said and he nodded softly. She smiled at him with exuberance that must have been practiced and straightened up.

"Why don't you go take a seat next to Ca'hill over there and you can share his workbook for today." She said and Sam nodded. Before moving he turned around and gave us a wave with a smile I thought I would never again see on his face.

"Bye Lily, bye Sage!" He exclaimed and practically ran over to his seat. The kid named Ca'hill started talking to him avidly and Sam looked excited when he answered. I looked away and back to Ms. Mary who was talking to Dimka.

"Excuse me, Ms. Mary?" I asked and she looked at me with another smile. This lady was just full of them!

"Yes, dear?"

"If you don't mind me asking, what curriculum do you teach?" I asked and Dimka gave me a _butt out_ look which I promptly ignored.

"It's just like any class in your world, Miss Taylor. Right now we're learning cursive and writing stories. The heavy stuff doesn't come until a few years from now. He'll be perfectly comfortable, don't worry." She said kindly and I nodded and thanked her. Dimka said goodbye and we walked away from the classroom.

"Now, it's time for you both to get your schedules. I'll wait outside while you're in the guidance counselor's office. Your morning schedules will most likely be the same, but there's no telling what you're afternoon schedules will be." He said and motioned to two doors next to each other when we reached the main office. Apparently they didn't let two people in the same room with the same counselor.

When I walked in, a plum—for a Moroi—old man sat in a desk looking at his computer screen. I cleared my throat and he looked up and frowned.

"A human?" He said, scrutinizing me. Obviously, no one had told him the latest update.

"Yes. I'm a human. But, I can also do this…" I said, deciding to just get straight to the point. I switched between all my elements as his eyes just about popped out of his head. He motioned for me to sit down and I sauntered to the seat. I really wasn't in the mood for games. I had been awake for almost 17 hours now, not including the surgery, and I felt like punching someone in the face.

He hastily scrawled out a schedule and then sent me on my way, turning back to his screen. I rolled my eyes and left to see Sage and Dimka waiting for me.

"What's your schedule?" Sage asked and we exchanged.

_Period 1- Essentials of Earth Magic_

_Period 2- Essentials of Water Magic_

_Period 3- Essentials of Fire Magic_

_Period 4- Essentials of Air Magic_

_Period 5- LUNCH_

_Period 6- Biology_

_Period 7- Algebra 1_

_Period 8- Moroi Culture 1_

_Period 9- Culinary Science_

These were all basic freshman level classes. I was actually surprised that they gave Sage such a normal schedule. Except for Moroi Culture. But, I guess they had to teach the basics to somebody right?

"We have all morning classes together, and then we meet up for Culinary Science, but that's it." I said and she nodded, handing me back my schedule.

_Period 6- Animal Behavior and Physiology_

_Period 7- Pre Calculus_

_Period 8- Moroi Culture 4_

_Period 9- Culinary Science_

Basic senior level classes. I aced Physiology so Animal Physiology couldn't be that different. We all developed from gorillas…right?  
"They'll be about 10 minutes into 2nd period. What class do you have?" Dimka said, interrupting my reverie.

"That's Essentials of Water Magic." Sage said. Dimka nodded and led the way out of the office.

"How long have you been a guardian here?" I asked, running up to catch up with his long strides.

"Only a few months. But I'll be leaving at the end of the year to continue on as the princess's guardian." He said, and I felt my eyes widen. Being a guardian to a prince or princess was considered a big honor among the dhampir world.

"Wow. That's a pretty sweet deal, right?" I asked and he smirked. Suddenly, his smirk dropped and his eyes got sad.

"Lily…I just wanted to say…I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry if I wasn't around more. Maybe if I had stayed closer with your mom things wouldn't have…she wouldn't have…" He looked down and let out a shaky breath. I instantly felt bad. Dimka must have been blaming himself since we got here. I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Dimka. No matter how many times you came around, she always thought of you as her closest family. And I've always thought of you as my uncle. Nothing could have changed her fate. Once it's predicted…it's set in stone. You can't change it. She knew what was coming…and she was prepared for it." I said. He put his hand on mine and smiled. The moment we just shared came to a close too soon as we arrived in front of the water magic room.

Like before, Dimka cleared his throat and all attention turned to us. The teacher had been writing on the board and her chalk stopped with one of those uber annoying squeak marks.

"Can I help you, Guardian Belikov?" She said. She was tall and slim, with shoulder-length blonde hair and a bright blue pantsuit.

"Yes. These are two new students, Lily and Sage Taylor." He introduced us and we stepped into view. A few shocked gasps rang out across the room as they realized we were human.

"Um. Excuse me, Guardian Belikov but I wasn't aware of new students arriving. And, those are humans." She said. I had to give Dimka credit. He kept a straight face through it all.

"Yes, these are humans. Headmistress Kirova may have failed to notify you since this is last minute. Lily and Sage will be joining this class." He said firmly and the teacher raised her eyebrows and motioned to an empty table in the back room.

"You girls can sit at that table." She sighed and we nodded. Dimka gave us some last words of advice, and then he was off. Sage and I moved to the table with everyone staring into our backs.

"Well, I'm not sure what you girls are going to be able to do in this class, but I suppose I can print out some worksheets." She said, looking a little annoyed. I looked at Sage and she nodded. At the same time, we sent a long stream of water to curl around the teacher's waist, without actually touching her.

She shrieked a little before we pulled it away and there was no way people were going to stop staring at us now.

"But—but—you're human!" She exclaimed and we both sighed and nodded in unison. After a brief hesitation she returned to the board and continued writing. Unfortunately for her, no one was paying attention to her. They were all staring at us.

This was going to be a long day.

**Review. Review. It's off to review we go. Let's go!**


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